Elliott Arrington had a hit and scored a run on Saturday

March 31, 2007

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Jason Franzblau threw 8.2 innings allowing just one earned run on seven hits and Winthrop took advantage of four UNC Asheville errors as the Eagles defeated the Bulldogs 5-2 Saturday afternoon at the Winthrop Ballpark.

Asheville (11-19, 2-3 Big South) got on the board first in the second inning. Elliott Arrington had a one out single. Kyle Smith clubbed a double off the wall in straight away centerfield to score Arrington with the first run of the game. After a ground out moved Smith to third base, Steve Burnich struck out swinging but the ball was not caught cleanly by Winthrop catcher Jayson Hernandez. His throw to first hit Burnich in the back allowing him to reach and Smith to score and make it 2-0 Asheville.

Winthrop (18-14, 4-1 Big South) benefitted from an unearned run in the third inning. Louis Ullrich reached on an error, went to second on a base hit by Billy Froehlick, was sacrificed to third, and scored on a RBI ground out by Kevin Nolen.

The Eagles took the lead in the sixth inning scoring four times in the sixth for the second-straight day. Nolan led off with a hit. Eddie Tisdale laid down a bunt that was miss-played by Asheville. Tisdale was credited with a hit. The next batter, pinch hitter Rand Baughman also laid down a bunt, this time the Bulldogs looked to third, but no one was covering and Baughman beat out the throw to first for a hit to load the bases with no one out. Chris Carrera drew a bases loaded walk to tie the game and Bryn Henderson singled to score Tisdale and Baughman. Carrera scored on a sacrifice fly by Phil Carey to make the score 5-2.

Franzblau retired 13 straight Bulldogs hitters from the third inning until the eighth. He walked no one and struck out seven to move his record to 5-2. Ryan Mullins got the last batter in the ninth for his second save.

Graham Baughn took the loss going five innings, giving up five runs, four earned, on nine hits. Chris Nigro pitched three solid innings in relief giving up just one hit.

Rob Vernon went 2-for-4 to extend his hit streak to 13-straight games. Froehlick, Nolan, and Tisdale each had two hits for Winthrop.

The rubber game of the series will be broadcast on ESPNU at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Fans who can not be at the game can go to Wild Wings in downtown Asheville to watch the game. The internet broadcast will begin at 1:50 p.m.